Comparison

TOPIK Note vs Idly

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TOPIK Note

Master Korean vocabulary for the TOPIK exam with intelligent spaced repetition and diverse learning methods. Practice with real exam questions and track your progress with detailed statistics. Tailored to all TOPIK levels, this app ensures efficient study by focusing on words that matter most.

Highlights
  • Spaced repetition system (SM-2)
  • 4 learning methods per word
  • Audio pronunciation for words and sentences
  • Native Korean definitions and examples
  • Practice with real TOPIK exam questions
  • Progress tracking and statistics
  • Multi-language interface
Read full description

You already know you want to pass TOPIK. The real question is how — without burning study time on words that won't move your score, or losing a week to reviews you didn't need. TOPIK Note sorts 9,000+ Korean words by exact TOPIK level and schedules your reviews for you, so every minute goes to the words that count. Study what matters, when it matters. The app remembers what you know and what you don't. SM-2 spaced repetition (8-stage intervals) tracks every answer and adjusts your schedule automatically. Hard words come back sooner. Words you've nailed space out further — so you're never drilling something you already own. FOUR WAYS TO LEARN EACH WORD • See the Korean word, pick the meaning • See the meaning, pick the Korean word • Fill in the missing word in a sentence • Read a Korean sentence and choose what it means Same word, four angles. By the time it sticks, you can use it in context — not just spot it on a flashcard. With 36,000+ quizzes, you won't run out. HEAR EVERY WORD Tap the speaker on any word or example sentence to hear how it's pronounced. Reading Korean is half the work — knowing how it sounds is the other half. MADE BY KOREANS, REVIEWED BY KOREANS Every definition and example is written and checked by native Koreans — no clumsy machine translations to unlearn later. EVERY TOPIK LEVEL, ONE APP • Beginner (Level 1–2) — foundational words • Intermediate (Level 3–4) — everyday and compound words • Advanced (Level 5–6) — academic and nuanced vocabulary Pick your level. Switch anytime. The app adapts to your pace. GRAMMAR BUILT ON WORDS YOU ALREADY KNOW 210 TOPIK grammar points — from beginner particles to advanced connectives (79 beginner, 94 intermediate, 37 advanced). Every example sentence is built from vocabulary you've already studied, so a grammar point arrives as a sentence you can actually say, not a rule to memorize. • Fill-in-the-blank, conjugation, and meaning quizzes for every point • Spot a grammar pattern inside any word's example sentence and tap straight through to its explanation • Reviews are scheduled the same way as vocabulary — the grammar you keep missing comes back sooner PRACTICE REAL TOPIK EXAMS Vocabulary gets you ready. Past exams tell you if you're ready. • 1,700+ real TOPIK I & II questions pulled from 21 past exam papers — 878 reading and 850 listening • Listening questions play the original exam audio. Answer first, then read the full transcript to see exactly what you missed • Submit your answer, then read an explanation that walks you through the correct choice — available in English, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) • "My answered questions" keeps everything you've tried, sorted by wrong and right, so you can drill your weak spots • Exam stats: overall accuracy, separate TOPIK I and II progress, a 30-day trend, and a breakdown by question type TRACK YOUR PROGRESS A stats dashboard that earns its space: • Daily study streak • Accuracy across each quiz type and TOPIK level • Wrong Notes — every word you miss, collected automatically so you can target your weak spots No vanity metrics. Just signals for where to focus next. STUDY ON YOUR TERMS Bookmark words you want to revisit. Set a daily reminder — even five minutes a day compounds over weeks. YOUR LANGUAGE, YOUR INTERFACE App interface in English, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). Word definitions in all of those plus Korean. The Korean stays Korean — only the explanations change. You've decided to learn Korean. TOPIK Note makes sure your time goes to the right words, in the right order. Terms of Use (EULA): https://topik-note.com/en/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://topik-note.com/en/privacy-policy.html

About

Idly

Learn Korean through engaging K-drama stories, interactive AI-powered conversations, and daily vocabulary practice. Gamified elements like points and streaks keep you motivated while you progress.

Highlights
  • Interactive K-drama reading stories
  • Instant word translation and native audio
  • AI conversation practice with real-time feedback
  • Daily vocabulary flashcards with progress tracking
  • Gamified learning with points and streaks
  • Personalized learning based on CEFR level
Features
Read full description

Idly is your Korean learning companion. Want to speak Korean but find traditional methods boring? Idly combines three ways to practice so you actually learn: K-DRAMA READING STORIES Read interactive Korean drama stories with instant translation by tapping any word. Listen to native pronunciation with realistic text-to-speech audio. CONVERSATION PRACTICE WITH YOUR AI COACH Simulate real-life situations: at a restaurant, with friends, or at work. Your AI coach guides and corrects you in real time, adapting to your level. DAILY VOCABULARY Learn a new Korean word every day with flashcards, native audio, and progress tracking. Premium users get an iOS lock screen widget with the same daily word. LEARN WITHOUT EVEN NOTICING Earn points, maintain daily streaks, and collect totems to stay motivated. It feels like a game, but delivers real results. Idly adapts to you from day one: choose your CEFR level and your favorite AI coach, each with their own teaching style and personality. Practice language: Korean only. App interface available in English, Spanish, French, and German. IDLY PREMIUM (AUTO-RENEWABLE SUBSCRIPTION) Premium unlocks unlimited practice scenarios, the full story library, cloud voice input & playback, and the iOS lock-screen vocabulary widget. All paid plans include the same Premium features. US prices (local prices may vary): • Monthly — $5.99 / month • Yearly — $35.99 / year • Yearly Promo — $29.99 / year (same Premium access; a lower annual option shown during onboarding) A 7-day free trial is included when you are eligible. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy https://www.leonapp.dev/idly/privacy

Screenshots

TOPIK Note4 screens
Idly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Idly at 100% against TOPIK Note's 63%. Idly also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). TOPIK Note's advantage is ratings volume (49 vs 4). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TOPIK Note sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month. Idly asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Idly holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TOPIK Note has 49 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of TOPIK Note's written reviews are positive against 100% of Idly's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TOPIK Note ships an update every 4 days, Idly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
TOPIK Note versus Idly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTOPIK NoteIdly
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (49 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings49 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size152 MB82 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJihoon LEESLIMANE AITSIALIK

Customer experience

TOPIK Note

All ratings49 ratings
Positive98.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews30 reviews
Positive63.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative30.0%

Idly

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

TOPIK Note

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$10.991 Month
  • Premium (Annual)$64.991 Year
One-time4
  • Premium Lifetime - 60% OFF$31.99
  • Premium Lifetime - 50% OFF$39.99
  • Premium Lifetime - 30% OFF$55.99
Show 1 more
  • Premium (Lifetime)$79.99
None

Idly

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TOPIK Note free?
TOPIK Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Idly free?
Idly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, TOPIK Note or Idly?
Idly is rated higher. TOPIK Note averages 4.8 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Idly averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do TOPIK Note or Idly have ads?
Both TOPIK Note and Idly show ads.
Which is updated more often, TOPIK Note or Idly?
TOPIK Note ships an update every 4 days, and Idly every 2 days. Most recently, TOPIK Note was updated on October 21, 2026 and Idly on October 16, 2026.

Other comparisons